There are circumstances in which one may wish to alter or control features of a mobile communication unit such as, by way of example and not by way of limitation, mobile phones. By way of further example and not by way of limitation, one may wish to limit or block a capability to engage in Short Message Service (SMS) communications, sometimes referred to as texting, while a mobile phone is in a moving vehicle. Such limiting of features available to a mobile communication unit may improve safety for a user of the mobile communication unit.
Other examples may include curtailing or blocking ring tones while a mobile phone is in certain locations such as, by way of example and not by way of limitation, a movie theater, a school, a hospital, a church or another location where a ringing phone may be disruptive.
A system or method for controlling features of a mobile communication unit may be implemented using sensors connected with the mobile communication unit being controlled, using sensors coupled with a network serving the mobile communication unit, or using a combination of mobile and immobile sensors connected directly with the mobile communication unit and coupled with the mobile communication unit via a network.
It may be useful for a method and system for controlling a feature of a mobile communication unit to ensure that an emergency calling capability, such as emergency 9-1-1 calling capability or feature, is available to the mobile communication unit at all times regardless of information indicated by sensors.
Automatic sensing of circumstances in which a feature or features may be limited or curtailed for a mobile communication unit may be desirable because users are not always attentive to circumstances, are not always safety-minded when using a mobile communicate unit and are not always considerate in using a mobile communication unit.
There is a need for a system and method for controlling features of a mobile communication unit depending upon circumstances sensed in connection with the mobile communication unit.